A Tribute To Love
by Humphrey Loves Kate
Summary: Sometimes, love doesn't work out the way that movies or fairy tales say it should. Kate met Humphrey when she was just a pup. The wolves spent time together until something terrible happened. In this story, Kate learns that life cannot always be like a movie or a fairytale, and that sometimes, we have to learn how to live the hard way.


**Author's Note: I highly recommend that you read this one-shot story while listening to "Not Like The Movies" by Katy Perry. If you take this suggestion, please start the song when you see this "(Start the song here.)" in the text.**

**Here's the link, just type in "YouTube" and then ".com" and a "/" ahead of this. watch?v=9ewTkrfaWtA  
**

**I have wanted to do a story based off this song for a while now, but just the other day, something "big" happened where I live that fits in perfectly with this. I just wish that it didn't have to happen in order for me to write this story. :'(  
**

**This is A Tribute To Love  
**

"Looking back on those 'puppy love days,' I realize that I knew all along that it wouldn't work out," Kate said aloud. She was fully grown now, and was reminiscing on her youthful days. "It's almost like I was just a stupid girl about it. I mean, I didn't ever feel that 'fairy tale feeling' that you get when you find true love. But it's not like I'd know how that feels. And, it never really seemed like it was going to work out. I wanted to believe it would, but I always knew that no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, it just… wouldn't."

* * *

Kate met Humphrey randomly on one spring day when she was just a young puppy. She was out taking a walk when she completely ran into the young wolf. "Oh dear! I'm so sorry," Kate quickly apologized as she tried to help the wolf up.

This young male wolf was quick at coming back and blaming the incident on his own lack of attention. "Oh no! Don't worry about it! I should be watching where I'm…" he stopped when he looked at Kate. She was so beautiful and possessed such a breathtaking aura that he nearly forgot what was going on. Nervously, the wolf pup snapped back into his train of thought. "Oh! I should, yeah you know, watch where I'm going."

Because she was so captivated by this young male wolf, Kate hardly noticed the pup's stuttering. Before she knew it, Kate found that she was staring at her new acquaintance. Her radiant golden eyes locked with his calming blue eyes. Kate was speechless! However, she too realized that she did not want to be caught staring at a wolf that was a complete stranger to her, so she picked the conversation back up. "Oh, don't worry! It was my fault, really! It's just such a… such a…" Kate thought about what she was trying to say. She knew where her mind was going a few seconds ago, but the new "cute" wolf was distracting her mind.

The wolf lifted up his right paw and gestured as if he was pulling the words out of Kate's mouth. "'Such a…' what?" he questioned her. "Pretty view? Nice world? Beautiful day?"

Kate stopped him when he mentioned the words "beautiful day." "Oh yeah! That's it!" Kate tried to cover up her fault. "It is a beautiful and somewhat 'distracting' day!"

The young male laughed. "Yes, I, uh, noticed. So my name's Humphrey! And yours is…?"

Kate found herself staring again. Fortunately, she was able to recover very quickly this time. "Hm? Oh, Kate! My name is Kate."

"Nice to meet you, Kate," Humphrey said. "You really have a pretty name."

Kate smiled when Humphrey said that she had a pretty name. She felt warm, and happy inside for some strange reason.

"Well, I'll see you around, I guess," Humphrey said. "Hey, you can hang out with me sometime if you would like to." Humphrey paused here. "Um, DO you want to hang out?"

Kate was caught off guard yet again here. "Oh, of course! Yeah, I guess. I'll see you around," she said quickly snapping back into the situation at hand. As Kate walked away, she thought to herself, _Hee hee! He called my name 'pretty!' I like him…_

Kate and Humphrey spent quite a bit of time together over the next few weeks. They got to know each other really well, and before long they ended up as best friends. Humphrey was just such a kind and caring guy that Kate could feel comfortable around. It was interesting, really; Kate actually felt… safe around Humphrey, like nothing could ever harm her as long as he was with her. It was not quite clear within those first few weeks, but eventually, Kate realized that she truly did love Humphrey.

(**Start the song here.)**

Sadly, on one life changing day, Humphrey grew ill with some strange and unknown disease to even the brightest of wolf medics. Humphrey started to lose weight first. This was followed by him experiencing headaches, fatigue, and swelling of his lymph glands. During this troublesome time, however, Kate visited Humphrey constantly. It seemed that she always had a new flower or some colorful gift to present to him, just a small token to show her everlasting concern for him. Humphrey always felt terrible, and eventually he could barely walk, but Kate was always there for him to make things seem a bit better and brighter.

"Kate, what do you think is wrong with me?" Humphrey asked one day as he was lying on his side in the sick den.

"I can only wish I knew Humphrey!" Kate exclaimed. "Everyone I've asked says they don't know what it is other than something is completely messed up with your hormonal system. My mom even mentioned that it was like your body is killing itself." When Kate let this small statement out of the prison of her mind, she knew that she had shared too much information on Humphrey's condition.

"Kate…" Humphrey whimpered. "I love y… I love being here. I don't want to die!"

"Just stay strong Humphrey!" Kate quickly said. "That's the best thing you can do. Don't ever, ever, EVER give up!"

Humphrey smiled at this. He was encouraged by Kate's enthusiasm for his health. "I won't give up, Kate!"

Another week passed, and Kate was really beginning to feel that it might be time to let Humphrey know what her true feelings were. She was so ready to know Humphrey not as a friend, but as a boyfriend. What would that be like? Kate had never been in a relationship ever before, and she had never really been on a real date either. Finally, Kate had decided that Humphrey really was her better half. He was the one. She was going to tell him how she felt.

Kate approached the sick den. She was really about to do this. With a deep breath, Kate marched forward, only to be stopped by Eve, her mother and the pack's main healer and nurse.

"Kate," Eve said solemnly, "before you go in, I… I need to tell you that you will be surprised. That's all I will say."

Kate gulped. "Okay," she answered as she walked straight into the den.

"Humphrey!" Kate greeted cheerfully as she walked in. "I have something really important to tell you!"

To Kate's surprise, there was not an answer.

_Hmm. He must be asleep,_ Kate innocently concluded. She ventured further into the den until she was right next to Humphrey.

"Humphrey, wake up! I need to tell you something," Kate repeated. When Humphrey did not respond, she leaned down to his head and nudged it, brushing back part of his hair.

_That's weird!_ Kate thought. _He ALWAYS wakes up when I do that!_

Kate laid next to Humphrey and nudged him again just as she had done before, but still there was not a response. "Humphrey…?" Kate's voice said growing sad.

Eve walked up to Kate. "Kate, I hoped you'd see this on your own, but," Eve's voice trailed off and her face grew deeply sad. "Humphrey died about ten minutes ago. He's gone."

Kate was devastated at this! "WHAT?!" she tried to scream, but her voice was pierced by the sudden sadness that had poured from her heart and was creeping into her throat. Moments later, Kate felt the sorrow reach her eyes; that's when the tears began to flow down her face.

"Kate, please, he went very peacefully!" Eve tried to pull her daughter into a hug. "He wanted me to tell you that he…"

"NO! No! He's gone! It doesn't matter! He's gone!" Kate repeated over and over! "And to think that just moments ago…"

"Sweetie, listen to me!" Eve pleaded.

Kate couldn't take any more of this! She jumped to her feet and ran out of the den, faster and faster than any wolf her age should be able to run. Kate needed to get away from all of this! The love of her life had just been removed from the planet, and he never knew that she loved him! Kate would run, and run, and she might never come back for all she cared! After all, she could never ever miss her family as much as she was missing Humphrey right now. If Humphrey was gone, she would be too!

* * *

"I was a lone she-wolf from that day on," Kate said aloud. "But I learned two valuable lessons… Everyone's time on this planet is limited, so we should make the most of the people in our lives while we have them. And love… Well, sadly, love is not always like the movies. Love is not really the fairy tale I had dreamed it to be. I wish it was that way, but for me, it's just not.

"Maybe someday I'll go back to my pack and my family. But for now, there's just too many painful memories back there. As long as those remain troublesome to me, I WILL NEVER GO BACK!"

* * *

**Author's Note/Explanation: A few days ago, a ninth grade girl in my community died of cancer after maybe a year and a half battle. Her name was Shelby and she was loved by nearly everyone! She did not go to my school and I hardly knew her, as a matter of fact, I only met her once and talked to her for maybe seven minutes in a store. However, she was very close to my best friend and thus I am very upset because of her death. This is what I posted on Facebook:**

"**It's hard to believe, but I actually talked to Shelby for maybe 7 minutes a year ago in an AT&T store. It didn't even take that long for me to realize that she was such a sweet person. It's kind of strange: I never knew her, but somehow, I miss her. :'/"**

**When my best friend heard this, he told me that it was the nicest thing he had ever heard. We were on the phone for nearly an hour just talking about her and the funeral and the reactions of everyone. **

**This story is… A tribute to her, you might say, as well as an outlet for my feelings to this sudden turn of events. I mean, it really was sudden; she was doing so well with the treatments and in the hospital.**

**(No, I did not have a crush on her.)**

**Humphrey is that girl. When he became sick, he really developed some sort of cancer like Shelby did. Kate represents everyone who was touched by this girl's life and existence. The fact that Kate never got to tell Humphrey she loved him is maybe tied into the fact that I hardly ever knew this girl.**

**The story also teaches that sometimes, love doesn't work out the way that fairy tales or movies say it should. Sometimes, the best way for you to realize how important someone is in your life, is for you to lose them. It's sad, but it's true.**


End file.
